Crabtree Farm Community Centre is a well‑established and important part of the Bulwell community. It opened in 1982 and has long been a place where local people can meet, get support and take part in community life. The centre is based in the Crabtree Farm area, which is one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Nottingham.
Working closely with the local neighbourhood is at the heart of how the centre operates. As the Chair, Maria Shakespeare, explains, the centre was created to bring people together and encourage everyone to be involved. From the start, partnership and community involvement were seen as essential.
The centre is located right in the neighbourhood it serves and is run by local volunteers. These volunteers understand the needs of local people because they live in the area themselves and have similar life experiences. The centre is therefore closely connected to the community. It is easy to access, relevant to local people, and able to respond quickly when needs change.
For many years, the centre has supported residents who find it difficult to use mainstream services. This can be because of money worries, how services are set up, or feelings like anxiety, lack of confidence or fear of being judged. By offering services in a local, trusted space and being supported by volunteers from the neighbourhood, many of these barriers are reduced.
Having a community hub in a central location helps people in practical ways. It reduces travel costs, allows people to drop in without appointments, and offers face‑to‑face support. Having several services in one place also saves people time and stress. Volunteers help create a welcoming environment where people feel understood, reducing stigma and making services feel more appropriate to local needs.
They know that we are in the same boat as them, we live on the estate, were not getting paid, we’re all volunteers… that makes it easier for them to come through the door
Maria Shakespeare
The centre offers a wide range of activities and support. This includes lunch clubs, help with benefits and welfare, group exercise sessions such as chair‑based exercise and Clubbercise, and arts and crafts activities. The centre also supports people with low literacy skills and children who need extra help. Because levels of need in the area are high, demand for services is constant. At the same time, cuts to local services risk pushing people even further away from the support they rely on.
Everything we do is needed. We have kids and people who don’t read or write. We must provide services for them
Maria Shakespeare
Alongside strong community involvement, working in partnership is key to how the centre operates. The organisation works with local schools, job centres, police cadets, voluntary organisations and public health teams to coordinate support for residents.
Looking ahead, the centre sees better coordination across services as essential for long‑term sustainability and stronger neighbourhood working. When organisations work together and understand the needs of the area, support for residents is more effective and better connected.
Find more details about Crabtree Farm here
